AS COMPARED WITH THAT OF OTHER VENOMOUS SNAKES. 113 



of imperfectly oxygenated blood, the result of impeded 

 respiration), and, finally, death. 



Hemorrhages or hemorrhagic extravasations and effusions, 

 both local and general, occur m all varieties of snake-poisoning. 



But we observe (and in this our observations are in accord 

 with those of Weir Mitchell) that there is a greater tendency to 

 both local and general hemorrhage and extravasation of blood 

 and of the colouring-matter of the blood, especially as observed 

 in the peritoneum, intestines, and mesentery, and also probably 

 to a more direct action on the cord {vide Experiments I, III, Y, 

 VI, VII, IX, XI, XIV, XV), than in poisoning by either cobra 

 or viper {vide Experiments IV, VII, XIII, XVI, XVII, XX). 



The viscera and other tissues, after death, are found congested 

 and ecchymosed, and in some cases to a great extent, seeming 

 to show that either a preternatural fluidity of blood or some 

 important change in the vessels, favouring its exudation, has 

 occurred. 



But with regard to tlie blood itself, we have observed that it 

 does form a coagulum after death, generally, if not invariably ; 

 as we have noted to be the case, though not to the same extent, 

 in the blood of animals that have succumbed to the Daboia- 

 virus.* 



With refeience to the coagulation or non-coagulation of the 

 blood in cases of snake-poisoning, we observe that the following 

 conclusions have been arrived at by Mr. Eichards and the 

 Calcutta Coinmittee {vide p. 45 of their Report). 



" We now propose to deal with the physical changes produced 

 by snake-poisoning on the blood. From observations which 

 have been made by Mr. Richards and ourselves, we have arrived 

 at the following conclusions : — 



'•' The blood appears to remain Jluid after death under the circum- 

 stances noted helow : 



" 1st. When a large quantity of the cobra-poison has been 

 directly injected into the circulation, as, for example, into an 

 artery or a vein.f 



* In Dr. Fayrer's Indian experiments the blood of animals dead from Dahoia- 

 poison nearly always remained fluid after death, 

 t This is not always so. — J. Fayrer. 



(95) I 



